Record holder



M. Z. REED RECORD HOLDER March 26, 1968 Filed Dec. 6, 1965 INVENTOR.Mae/1y Z F550 3,374,794 Patented Mar. 26, 1968 United States PatentOffice ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Phonograph record album includes asupport element, respective plates perpendicularly aifixed near theOPPosite transverse ends of the element, a given plurality of paralleldisposed openings provided in the plates, theopenings being disposedsubstantially perpendicularly to the element and progressivelysymmetrically decreasing in size from the outer to the'inner openings toprovide an array of symmetrical bitrapezoidal configuration,corresponding ones of the openings in the upper and lower platesrespectively being in registration, the corresponding openings receivingrecord containing sleeves therein, each of the sleeves including a pairof adjacent closed corners, and means insertable into the openingsprovided at each of the closed corners, each of the insertable meansincluding a projecting tab for insertion into one of the openings toadapt a sleeve to be received into a pair of corresponding registeredopenings and an integral blank folded in half to define a pair ofleaves, the projecting tab being aligned With the fold point of theblank, the sleeves having an open edge opposite the closed corners.

Specification This invention relates to phonograph record albums. Moreparticularly, it relates to such improved albums wherein ease ofhandling and ease to examination and display of the sleeves containedtherein are enabled.

In record albums comprising a plurality of sleeves for containingphonograph records therein, because of the thicknesses of the manysleeves with records contained therein, the ready leafing through ofthese sleeves to read the respective center labels on the records, theremoving from and the inserting of records into their sleeves, and theplacing of the album into an opened position has been quite diflicult.This is because known albums have been constructed so as not to permitadjacent leaves to lie fiat when the albums are opened. An album inwhich the sleeves would lie flat when the album is opened would enablefacile handling and examination of the records in an album, particularlya voluminous one, in addition to enabling the appreciation of theattractive effect presented by decorative album sleeves.

Accordingly, it is an important object of this invention to provide aphonograph record album comprising a plurality of record containingsleeves in which the sleeves naturally lie flat when the album is in anopen position.

For a better understanding of the invention, together with other andfurther objects thereof, reference is had to the following descriptiontaken together with the accompanying drawing and its scope is pointedout in the appended claims.

In the drawing,

FIG. 1 is a three dimensional view, partly cut away, of an illustrativeembodiment of a record album constructed in accordance with theprinciples of the invention showing the binder structure with sleevesinserted therein;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1 with the record sleevesomitted therefrom in the interests of clarity of exposition;

FIG. 3 is a three dimensional view, partly cut away of an otherembodiment according to the invention;

FIG. 4 is a three dimensional view record sleeve adaptor clamp forenabling a sleeve to be received within the album; and

FIG. 5 is an end view of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 in thehorizontal and opened position.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, there are shown therein the binderstructure of the album of the invention, the front and back covershaving been omitted from these figures since the structure and functionof the latter are obvious. t

The binder structure 10 comprises a supportelement 12, to the upper andlower ends of which there are afiixed flat plates 14 and 16respectively. To provide additional support, a longitudinalbrace number17 is aflixed to support 12 along the longitudinal center line ofsupport element 12. V

Eachof plates 14 and 16 comprises a plurality of slots 18 and 20respectively therethrough. As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the front to rearlengths of slots 18 and 20, respectively, are so chose whereby theyprogressively decrease in length from the outer'to the inner slots. Suchdecrease is symmetrical with respect to the front and rear ends of theslots wheerby, in plan view, the arrays of slots have substantially theconfiguration of a pair of like trapezoids joined to each other at theirsmaller parallel sides.

As is seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, corresponding slots of slots 18 and 20 inupper and lower plates 14 and 16 respectively are disposed inregistration, a pair of corresponding registered slots receiving one ofrecord containing sleeves 22. Each of sleeves 22 is provided at theiradjacent closed corners with a clamp 24 such as shown in FIG. 4. Eachclamp 24 comprises an integral blank folded in half to define a pair ofleaves 25 and 27 with a substantially cylindrical pin or tube tab 26extending at the fold point. These clamps 24 are suitably atfixed to theappropriate corners of sleeves 22, the clamp at the upper corner beingaflixed whereby the tab 26 of a clamp 24 is received in a slot 18 andthe clamp at the lower corner being aflixed whereby the tab 26 of aclamp 24 is received in a slot 20.

With such arrangement, it is readily seen that the staggered sizearrangement of slots 18 and 20 in plates 14 and 16 enables the recordcontaining sleeves to readily assume a Hat stable position when thealbum is opened, such stable position being shown in FIG. 5.

In keeping with the materials normally used for such purposes, element12 and member 17 may suitably comprise a strong board material, plates14 and 16 may be of metal or other suitable strong rigid material, andsleeves 22 may comprise a sheet material such as strong paper and thelike.

In FIG. 3, there is shown a variation according to the invention inwhich, instead of slots 18 and 20 in plates 14 and 16, there areprovided therein in like configured and similarly arrayed channels 28for receiving tabs 26 respectively. In the embodiment of FIG. 3, theupper surface of plate 14 and the lower surface of plate 16 are solidand uninterrupted.

It is, of course, appreciated that sleeves 22 can readily be insertedinto and removed from the slots or channels. Such insertion can befacilitated for example, by providing a hinge or like suitable meansbetween the plates 14 and 20 and support element 12. Alternatively, ifdesired, the plates can be individually removable.

From the foregoing, it is seen that with the invention as describedhereinabove, there is provided a phonograph record album which canretain a great plurality of record containing sleeves and wherein suchsleeves 3 a naturally fall into a flat, stable position, no matter atwhat position the album is opened.

While there have been described what are considered to be the preferredembodiments of the invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in theart that various changes and modifications may be made therein withoutdeparting from the invention, and it is, therefore, aimed to cover'allsuch modifications as fall Within the true spirit and scope of theinvention.

What is claimed as new and desired to 'be secured by Letters Patent ofthe United States is:

1. A phonograph record album comprising a support element, respectiveplates perpendicularly affixed near the opposite transverse ends of saidelement, a given plurality of parallel disposed openings provided insaid plates, said openings 'being disposed'substantially perpendicularlyto said element and progressively symmetrically decreasing in size fromthe outer to the inner openings to provide an array of symmetricalbitrapezoidal configuration, corresponding ones of said openings in saidupper and lower plates respectively being in registration, saidcorresponding openings receiving record containing sleeves therein, eachof said sleeves comprising a pair of adjacent closed corners, and meansinsertable into said open- -ings provided at each of said closedcorners, each of said insertable means including a projecting tab forinsertion into one of said openings to adapt a sleeve to be receivedinto a pair of corresponding registered openings and an integral blankfolded in half to define a pair of leaves, said projecting tab beingaligned with the fold point of said blank, said sleeves having an openedge opposite said closed corners.

2. A phonograph record album as defined in claim 1 and further includinga bracing member aflixed to said support element anddisposed betweensaid upper and lower plates. I

3. A phonograph record album as defined in claim 2 wherein said openingsare slots through said plates.

4. A phonograph record album as defined in claim 2 wherein said openingsare channels in said plates.

7 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,646,573" 10/1927 Buzza 40-1021,838,489 12/1931 Kirshner 40-102 X 2,372,504 3/1945 Lindros 312-4232,625,935 1/1953 Marano 129 20 2,914,870 12/1959 Parfett 40-102 FOREIGNPATENTS 547,471 8/19301Germany. V

CHANCELLOR E. HARRIS, Primary Examiner.

